He's standing beside me
by suddenlysomewherethatsgreen
Summary: Mid musical: Audrey's wounds have become harder to conceal and they are now hurting Seymour as well. (Post "Somewhere that's green" but before "Closed for renevations")


**_Author's note:_** _This may seem familiar if you have been reading my stuff. It was originally in "Little Stories in the Little Shop" under the name "Old wounds" then later "He purified me". After some consideration and a bit of reworking I feel it is strong enough and long enough to survive on it's own. So be free little one!_

 _This is mid musical, and meant to take place post "Somewhere that's green" but pre "Closed for renovations"_

 _Also I don't own Little Shop of Horrors or any of it's characters_

* * *

"Audrey you're bleeding!" Seymour gasped.

Audrey was in the back room so focused on building a bouquet she hadn't heard Seymour come in. Slowly she turned around to face him. He was standing in the doorway, his eyes were wide with horror.

"Oh," she said reaching her hand to the back of her shoulder. Sure enough it was wet. It must've opened up again.

 _No!_ She thought, _I was so careful._

Pulling her hand into her vision she saw it was rose colored.

"It's nothing," she explained, "It's an old wound. I'm fine."

Audrey put on a fake smile and turned away. She felt it seeping through her cardigan and sighed. Without turning around she heard Seymour retreating from the room and open the basement door. Though the shop had been bustling with customers as of late it was vacant now and absolutely silent. A moment later she heard him ascending the stairs and back into the shop. She kept her eyes fixed on the flowers she was working with. Bright orange marigolds. She remembered a passage she had read in Mr. Mushnik's flower symbolism book:

 _ **Being of vibrant yellow and gold in color, it is said that marigolds symbolize cruelty, grief and jealousy.**_

 _How fitting,_ she thought.

She heard the door swing open as he reentered the room. He was at her side in the moment and hesitantly placed a first aid kit on the table next to a pile of flowers she was picking through.

"Thank you," she replied not looking up at him.

She waited for him to leave so she could bandage it herself but he wasn't moving. Almost irritated she kept herself focused on building her bouquet, ignoring the dripping down her back. She wasn't about to show him though. She was humiliated enough already. Still, Seymour wasn't leaving. Suddenly she moved in such a way that made the pain unbearable.

 _Alright!_ She thought.

Reluctantly Audrey removed her cardigan. Her dress was low cut in the back and she knew her wound was visible without it. She waited for his reaction. For him to start asking questions and berating her about the boys she was seeing just as Mr. Mushnik often did. But he did none of that. He gasped but said nothing at all.

Audrey reached into the first aid kit and grabbed a small wad of gauze. The first aid kit was significantly light on bandages. She knew where they were though. One was on each of Seymour's fingers even now. He said he was being clumsy and it was beginning to worry her. She didn't like the thought of him hurt.

Folding the gauze, she went to place it on the wound but found she was unable. In the tight dress she was wearing the wound was just out of her reach. Silently, she felt Seymour take the gauze from her hand and press it against her wound. Audrey paused and inhaled sharply. Seymour didn't move but continued to apply pressure. She continued to focus on the flowers on the table to distract herself. Linaria bipartita, lobelia, hydrangea, celandine and acacia. Seymour reached around her to the first aid kit and fished out the tape.

 _Green,_ she thought closing her eyes, _think green. Green things. Plants, trees, a house with green shutters, a grassy front…_

Red. She couldn't do it. She only saw blood red. Audrey couldn't even remember what this specific one was. His teeth maybe? His drill could've slipped. She'd fallen off his bike before. And every so often he liked to play with knives. Audrey had so many bruises and injuries at this point she had began to lose track of each cause. She had successfully convinced Seymour they were nothing up until recently. Although she'd never consciously tell him anything, her wounds were becoming harder to hide, and excuses that she was clumsy less believable. Black eyes and slings aren't as easy to conceal. She was mostly grateful that she was able to keep hidden the wounds he couldn't see. Holding the gauze with one hand and the tape with the other he began to secure on the bandage. Audrey heard him sniffle suddenly. She didn't say anything but heard it again. He was crying.

Finishing up with the tape he placed it back in the first aid kit and closed the lid.

"Thank you," she whispered still not looking at him.

Behind her he nodded and wiped his eyes with his own heavily bandaged hand. After a moment Audrey heard him leave again. She brought both her hands to her mouth and tried her very best to keep her tears in her eyes.

 _I wish he didn't have to see that._

She moved her hands to the table and looked up trying to blink back her tears. She felt such a surge of emotions. Not just the humiliation of exposing her wound, but the incredible guilt of making her best friend cry. He shouldn't be crying, not over her. She was fine, right? She could handle it for now. Though she began to wonder what he would've said if he knew the cause. He hadn't asked any questions, just saw she needed help and helped her. But had he known it was another guy, what would he have said? Or if he'd known she was stupid and ignorant enough to be deserving of such a guy, would he have even helped? She didn't wonder for long. She already knew the answer.

 _"Audrey you are limping," Seymour pointed out one hot summer day in the shop._

 _Audrey shifted to her other foot and smiled hiding the wincing of pain. "I am?"_

 _"Yeah, sit down, please."_

 _"Oh no Seymour I'm al..."_

 _Before she could finish he had already pulled out the stool from behind the counter and was motioning her to it._

As painful as that memory had been, she still looked back fondly.

 _"Are you okay?" he asked upon noticing a rather large bump on her temple._

 _"Yeah," she lied, "I just... hit my head on the counta' 'sall."_

 _He continued to look at her for another few moments before smiling sheepishly, "I've done that."_

 _She smiled and exhaled a laugh. Realizing she was being rude she brought her hand to her mouth. He didn't acknowledge it and even smiled himself._

 _"It hurt. Are you sure you're alright?"_

 _"I'm fine, Seymour," she said turning away before he could say anything else._

Through ever bruise he was able to spot, every cut, every blister, he was standing beside her. Seymour was always standing beside her. And no matter what the circumstance, he always brought her such sweet understanding.

In another attempt to distract herself she turned back to her bouquet.

 _ **Yellow Acacia. This pretty flower signifies the value of true friendship and can indicate a secret love.**_

She picked one up and held the stem between her fingers smiling thoughtfully.

Suddenly the door reopened and she sat upright.

"Here," Seymour whispered.

On the table he placed an old sweater of his. She sat confused for another moment before she realized the blood had soaked through her cardigan and she wouldn't be able to put it back on. Audrey picked up his sweater and held it lovingly.

"Thank you," she whispered again.

She pulled it over her head. It almost fit, though looked somewhat out of place. However it did the job and her bandage was covered. And she did look lovely in green.

They both heard the faint ring of the bell in the other room.

"Welcome," they heard Mr. Mushnik exclaim.

Behind her Seymour exhaled. He almost sounded annoyed, though she couldn't understand why he would be. His plant had been all the hype. The thing he loved most was getting all the attention and nurturing it needed, right?

"Have you come to see the amazing Audrey ii?" Mr. Mushnik slapped his palm against the other side of the door, summoning Seymour.

Slowly she heard Seymour's footsteps retreating and the door opening again as he exited. It was at this point Audrey finally turned around. She saw the door swinging into place as it closed. She hugged the sweater close.

 _He didn't have to do any of that. And yet..._

"Audrey ii? Such an unusual name. How'd you come up with that?"

A smile stole it's way onto Audrey's face and she felt her heart flutter.

* * *

 _In case anyone was interested, here's what the other plants mean:_

 _Linaria bipartita:_ _Please notice my love/feelings for you_

 _Lobelia: malevolence_

 _Hydrangea: heartfelt gratitude for being understood_

 _Celandine: joy is to come_

 _Holy symbolism Batman!_

 _Sources for these definitions are auntyflo, serenataflowers, and wikipedia_


End file.
